Orthodox consider boycotting El Al

Monday, December 04, 2006 |
by Staff Writer

A number of sectors of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community have criticized Israel’s EL AL Airlines for continuing to fly on Shabbat (the Sabbath). The controversy started after EL AL began operating last Shabbat in order to catch up on delayed flights due to last week’s strike.

The Orthodox make up a large percentage of EL AL customers, therefore, the airline attempts to maintain Kashrut (kosher) and Shabbat.

Rabbi Yitzhak Goldknopf, the chairman for the Committee of the Sanctity of Shabbat in referring to Israair, a competitor airline, said, “We’ve met with them a number of times and they've given us their word in writing, not just in an oral agreement like EL AL, that if we guarantee them that the entire Haredi public will move their business to Israair they will commit to refrain from flying on Shabbat.”

The Orthodox community believes that because EL AL respects the Sabbath, God looks out for it, as it is one of the most highly secure airlines in the world.

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